March 18

Six agricultural workers from Tolpuddle, Dorset, were convicted on March 18, 1834 for swearing secret oaths in a nascent trade union. Their harsh sentence of seven years’ transportation to Australia sparked public outrage across Britain. Mass protests and petitions rallied support, portraying the men as heroes of the labor movement. The government eventually granted a royal pardon in 1836, and the martyrs returned home to celebration and lasting acclaim. Their struggle laid the groundwork for legal trade union recognition and inspired future labor rights campaigns.

On March 18, 1922, Mahatma Gandhi was convicted by a British colonial court for sedition after organizing nonviolent protests across India. He received a six-year prison sentence but served only two, becoming a global symbol of peaceful resistance. Gandhi's moral authority and hunger strikes inspired millions to join the struggle for self-rule. His legal battle highlighted the tensions between British imperial authority and Indian demands for justice. The episode solidified Gandhi's leadership and galvanized the broader movement toward Indian independence.